Reinforcing-clip.



H. l. STEFFA.

REINFORCING CLIP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 10, IBM.

Patented May 18, 1915.

LIQQ QQMD awwwl oa J Twit a I REINFORCING CLIP.

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Specification of Lettei's Patent.

Application filed April 10, 1914. Serial No. 830,992.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HOMER I. STEFFA, a .citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Reinforcing-Clips, of'which thefollowing is a specification.

The invention relates to reinforcing clips, and more particularly to theclass of soffit clips for use in reinforcing fire-proofing on floorbeams, girders, columns or the like.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a clip orreinforcement for holding the soflit or under horizontal por-- tion ofthe cementitious material surrounding a floor beam, girder, column orthe like, and thereby sustaining such material up against the lowerportion thereof.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a clip of thischaracter wherein the same can be readily applied to the flanges of thebeam, girder or the like, and is of novel form to reinforce thefire-proofing or cementitious material surrounding the beam at the weakpoints about the same, the clip being of novel form to insure the easyand quick application thereof and to give strength and durability to thesame.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a clip of thischaracter which is extremely-simple in construction, reliable andefiicient in its purpose, capable of being rigidly mounted upon thebeam, girder or the like, and also which can be manufactured at aminimum expense.

\Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction, combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing,and pointed out in the claim hereunto appended.

In the drawing :Figure 1 is a vertical transverse sectional view througha floor beam and fire-proofing material, showing the clip constructed inaccordance with the invention applied to the said beam and supporting aconduit. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary .vertical longitudinal sectional Viewshowing the beam in side elevatlon, and an edge elevation of the clip.Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the clip removed. Fig. 4 is aperspective view of a modified form of clip constructed in accordancewith the invention. Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereof.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawing.

Referring to the drawing in detail, A designates a steel beam, shown inthis instance as an I beamv embedded in cementitious material B, whichis poured into the form provided by the centering or molding boards C.The latter may be of any ordinary wellknoWn construction and form nopart of the present invention, but are merely illustrated to show themanner of formation of the cementitious material about the beam, theweak points in the sofiit, which is the horizontal portion of thereinforcing material, usually occurs at E at each side of the lowerportion of the beam, but in reinforcing thesofiit the clips applied forthis purpose should not interfere with the free flow of material betweenthe mold boards and the beam so that the material may be tamped on allsides and underneath the beam to form a complete monolithic mass.

The improved form of clip comprises a single length of resilient wirehaving the requisite rigidity to assure strength and durability, yetallowing a certain amount of yieldability at determined points in thelength. However, it is to be understood in lieu of the wire a bar, rodor the like of metal can be employed, and the said length thereof isbent to form a substantially U-shaped frame 5 with downwardly con-.

vergent limbs 6 formed with hooks 7 and reversely extended ends 8 whichare at right angles to the plane of the frame 5, the hooks beingdesigned to engage the lowermost flange of the I beam A so that theframe 5 will be spaced from the beam at predetermined distance at allsides thereof. When the hooks 7 are engaged with the edges of the flangeof the beam A the ends 8 will rest at two points against the saidflange, thus holding the frame rigid and perpendicular with respect tothe horizontal disposition of the beam, and in this manner the frame isprevented from rocking or twisting, as it will be firmly held in suchperpendicular position. It will be noted that the frame 5 is embedded inthe sofiit so as to hold the same up against the beam and to reinforcethe cement-itious material at both sides of the said beam. Furthermore,

should the occasion require, a conduit D can Patented May as, a are.

"be held in position by the clips which are disposed at intervalsthroughout the length of the I beam. The limbs 6 of the frame 5 aresuificiently resilient to permit the easy and quick engagement of thehooks 7 on the flange of the beam. In fact, the flange will spread thelimbs 6 apart when upward pressure is exerted upon the frame so that thehooks will automatically engage the flange of the beam.

In Fig. 4 there is shown a modified form of soflit clip wherein thelimbs 9 of the frame 10, which are identical in construction withrespect to the frame and limb hereinbefore described, have the lowerstretches 11 of the hook 12 reversely angularly bent to bring the ends13 in transverse alinement with each other, or in other words, inalinement with the plane of the frame 10 so that the ends 13 will restagainst the flange of the I beam at directly opposed points to serve afunction identical with the ends 8 hereinbefore set forth.

It is to be understood that the frames can be employed for hangingreinforcing rods, blocks, or other parts in position relative to the Ibeam and the cementitious material surrounding the said beam.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction and manner of useof the device will be clearly understood, and therefore a more extendedexplanation has been omitted.

What is claimed is:

As an article of manufacture, a soflit clip comprising a single lengthof metal material bent to form a substantially U-shaped frame havingportions of its limbs bent inwardly and downwardly in convergentrelation to each other, and hook terminals formed on the convergentportions of the limbs, the bills of the hook terminals being reverselyextended and are disposed in the same plane parallel with each other soas to lie crosswise of the frame to project beyond opposite sidesthereof.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HOMIER I. STEFFA. Witnesses:

CLAUDE J. WAGONER, GUY M. Soo'rr.

